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Configuring

Initial Setup

  1. Power on your device. Each custom Meshtastic device has its own button combinations. Check your respective device's documentation.

  2. Set up communication with your device using one of the following methods:

  3. Bluetooth: Enable Bluetooth on your phone or computer if not already enabled.
  4. Wi-Fi: Available if your node includes a Wi-Fi chip.
  5. USB Serial: Use https://client.meshtastic.org/.

Warning

WebSerial is not supported in Firefox or Safari.

Settings Configuration

Once connected, you will have access to settings through either the mobile app or the web client.

To access the web interface, navigate to the IP address displayed in the Meshtastic app, or use http://meshtastic.local.

Set up the following basic information:

  • Device name: Set a name for your node.
  • Region: Choose the correct region (select United States for 915 MHz).
  • Other preferences: GPS settings, screen brightness, etc.

See also: Recommended Settings

Device Role

  • Client: Recommended for most nodes. This is the default role and provides access to all features.
  • Client_Mute: A good choice for additional nodes, especially those in close proximity (e.g., a single home or apartment) or areas with high mesh coverage. These nodes can still send and receive messages but do not participate in routing other nodes' messages. They do not contribute to the mesh, but they also do not add to the network burden caused by multiple nearby nodes rebroadcasting a single message simultaneously.
  • Router_Late: A reasonable choice if you want your node to help relay messages without significantly impacting network performance. It holds back briefly before rebroadcasting, reducing collisions in dense areas.
  • Router / Repeater: Avoid these roles. They cause the most troubleshooting headaches and can noticeably degrade performance in dense meshes like Chicago's. If you think you need one of these, use Router_Late instead.
  • Other roles exist for nodes that serve a purpose other than messaging.

For detailed information on all roles and their usage, see the Meshtastic blog post on device roles and Meshtastic's role reference table.

SettingValue
Broadcast Node Info Interval10800 seconds (3 hours)
GPS: Mobile NodesEnabled
GPS: Fixed NodesFixed Location
Power Saving: Non-Solar NodesDisabled
Power Saving: Solar NodesEnabled
LoRa RegionUS
Hop Count: City of Chicago4
Hop Count: Suburbs7
Frequency Slot20
Waveform SettingsLongFast
Radio TransmitEnabled
Max Transmit Power30 dBm
Override Duty CycleEnabled
Boosted RX GainEnabled
Store and Forward: Mobile NodesDisabled
Store and Forward: Router/Fixed NodesEnabled
HeartbeatEnabled
Number of Records100
History Return Max100
History Return Window7200 seconds (2 hours)
Update Interval900 seconds (15 minutes)

Waveform / Modem Preset

LongFast is strongly encouraged and is what the majority of the Chicagoland network runs on. We also have community tools that support MediumFast if you have a specific use case for it, but LongFast should be your default.

Node Naming

Consider adding ChicagolandMesh.org or ChiMesh.org to your node name to help grow our community: for example: NODENAME ChiMesh.org.

Next Steps